Trust in me
by SpnH50Sg
Summary: Oliver's falling, who better to catch him then Felicity?
1. Chapter 1

_AN: This is my first Arrow fanfiction. I really love the Oliver/Felicity relationship, not only the romantic side (although I would love to see THAT happen) but also their friendship. This story is something that came to me. Not entirely sure where it's going to go, but it will focus on them. Enjoy, and don't forget to review please! I love to hear what others think, and I'm always open for suggestions. _

The rain hit the pavement in an arrangement of evenly spread little puddles, splashing slightly as they hit a solid surface. The first few drops stood out by darkening the light grey of the pavement. Then, as the downpour unleashed, it glistened in the late evening sun. Felicity looked out of her bedroom window and sighed at the scene before her. She had always loved the rain, even as a little girl. She had often sat like this waiting for the rain to start and the thunder clouds to unleash their power. Somehow it always made her feel hopeful, after a good rain pour everything always seemed so much brighter and more alive.

She sighed, knowing it would have to be a very big storm to make her feel hopeful now. The glades had been levelled, Tommy was dead, Diggle was severely hurt and Oliver… Oh Oliver, she thought as the last rays of sunshine were hidden behind the gathering clouds. Oliver had disappeared. She hadn't seen him in three days, since Tommy's funeral. He hadn't talked to her or anyone since that fateful day that changed Starling City forever.

She knew he would take Tommy's death hard. She had never expected Oliver to run. After he had finally come to free her from Verdant he had already shut out his emotions. He wouldn't talk to her. She patched him up and he left the lair without another word. She knew not to take it personally, but somehow she did feel hurt.

The last few months their team had strengthened. After their falling out, Diggle and Oliver were stronger than ever. They had regained their friendship and it seemed as if nothing was ever wrong to begin with.

She and Oliver got along as well, though there always seemed to be some tension in the air when they were together. Whether this could be accounted to the fact that she stands up to him on occasion or her secret (or not so secret) crush on the hooded billionaire vigilante she doesn't know. They were friend though and there was a mutual trust there, which was the solid foundation of their relationship. Perhaps that was why it hurt so much that he had turned his back on her now. He didn't confide in her, not that he really ever did, but he also never ran. That was exactly what he did now though.

She sighed, getting lost in the endless cycle of thoughts that had preoccupied her for the better part of a week now. As a particularly bright flash crossed the sky she let out a yelp as a hooded figure appeared on her fire escape. It took her only a second to realise there was only one hooded figure that would be anywhere near her fire escape at this time.

Another flash and she could make out his profile underneath the hood. Oliver. His body was tense as the bow he handled and though she could not see his eyes, she knew the storm outside was nothing compared to the one brewing inside him.

Shaking herself out of her reverie she stood and hastily opened the window. She cocked her head as a silent invitation to come in and he quickly followed her inside.

They both stood awkwardly, each at one side of the couch, neither moving to sit down. Felicity quickly understood that as much as Oliver seemed to be in control of everything, he was very much teetering on the edge. She would have to make the first move.

Making sure not to startle him, she started moving in his direction. She couldn't see his eyes, but she knew he was following her every move. As she stood before him she gently raised her hands and pushed back his hood, slowly but deliberately. As the light in the room hit the hidden corners of his face she felt her heart break.

He didn't need any make up to hide his face, he was already black and blue, and she couldn't help the gasp that escaped her at the sight. But what nearly made her heart stop was the look in his eyes. There was nothing there. No flicker of emotion, just emptiness.

Felicities mind went into overdrive. _What happened to him? How many more injuries were hidden under the green leather? Where has he been? What is he doing here? _Her mind rattled off an endless list of questions, which abruptly came to an end as he finally looked at her.

He didn't need to say anything; she could see it all on his face. He was opening up to her without saying a word. She could see the guilt, the pain and a hundred other emotions. She wanted to cry for him, with him, but she knew she couldn't. Somehow he had turned to her when it all became too much and she could draw the strength he needed from that. Acting on pure instinct she knew what she had to do.

She grabbed his right hand and led him into her bedroom. The fact that Oliver followed without a sound or any hesitation gave her the courage to continue. She turned towards him and without looking to his face, raised her hands and undid the zipper of his green vest. Next she peeled off his t-shirt and with only a slight flush of her cheeks she undid his leather pants and shoved them down, leaving him in his boxers. She ignored the many bruises and abrasions on his body, though it pained her to see him so broken. She could see they weren't life threatening. The physical wounds weren't her primary concern. With a slight tug she got him moving and sat him down on her bed. Another push and he was lying on his back looking up at her. She covers him with her duvet and resisted the urge to tuck him in.

Felicity as glad she had already changed into her sleepwear and moved to the other side of the bed. She got in under the same duvet. After only a slight hesitation she moved towards him. A tug on his left side was all that was needed to get him to face her, which was surprising. It was almost scary how complacent he was being to her unspoken commands, but she was grateful.

As they faced each other she couldn't help but notice he wasn't there with her. She needed to get through to him somehow. She raised her right hand and cupped his cheeks, slowly brushing her thumb back and forth.

'Oliver.'

The whispered name sounded loud in the silence of her bedroom. He didn't look at her, but she knew he had heard her. Giving him some time she continued her ministrations on his cheek. After a minute he finally made eye contact although his look was still empty and detached.

'Go to sleep, I'll be here as long as you need me.'

She wasn't expecting a reaction of any kind and thus was surprised when he gave a quick nod. He didn't speak; she had not expected him to. What she also didn't expect was the sudden sensation of his fingers over hers on his cheek. He removed her hand and just as she wanted to retract it completely he grabbed on to it, linked their fingers and held on for dear life. He moved their hands over his heart and finally relaxed.

Felicity watched him for a long time, long after his breathing evened out and he fell asleep. As he slept she saw the tiny frown lines in his forehead relax, the muscles in his arms unwind and the death grip on her hand lessens.

She had no idea what tomorrow would bring, but for now she was happy he was safe, alive and with her. Listening to his breaths in the night she too fell asleep.

_Review please._


	2. Chapter 2

_AN: Thank you so much for your reviews! I'm amazed at the positive reactions to this story. I love you guys! So here's chapter 2 and 3. It's a little dark but don't worry Felicity will kick ass and drag Oliver back to where he belongs soon enough._ _Let me know what you think!_

The first thing Oliver noticed as he woke was a soft smell, vanilla with coconut and it roused him from the deep sleep he had been in. He took a sniff of air in and welcomed the wave of sweet aroma and the peacefulness he felt with it. The next thing he noticed was something soft moving right underneath his fingertips. Normally this would be enough to rouse him completely, but with the soft scent around him he felt calm and in no hurry to find out what exactly it was he was feeling. Instead he flexed his fingers slightly and rubbed the soft surface beneath them. He moved his hand further up until he hit a barrier, fabric of some kind. Continuing the small rubbing of his fingers he liked the feeling of calm that settled over him with that simple movement. A repetition, taking all his attention. Up and down, not more than a few inches every time.

Then he heard a small sigh. The sigh of content. The woman he was touching enjoyed it and so he saw no reason to stop. He noticed the scent he woke up to dissipating a bit and he tried to relocate it by moving his face closer to the person next to him, instinctively knowing, despite being half asleep, the woman in his arms was the source. He also pulled her closer to him in his sleepy state, wanting to feel more.

Letting out a sigh himself, he buried his face in something soft, her hair he supposed that smelled so sweet and pure, as he focussed once more on the calm inside. He knew he shouldn't feel this way, but wasn't awake enough to remember why, so he revelled in it instead.

He had no idea how long he was in that wonderful state between waking and sleeping but he felt at ease. His calm however, was disturbed as a crash outside her window finally forced him to open his eyes.

As he opened his eyes he was faced with blonde and curly hair. Felicity. Waiting for the panic to set in at his compromising position in bed with his resident IT-genius, he was surprised to find it never came. Instead the calm and peacefulness he felt upon waking remained. Not wanting to ruin it he focussed on the room he was in.

As he took in his surroundings he couldn't help but smile slightly at the felicity-esque feel of the room. There were small items spread on every available surface. Her futon in the corner of the room was barely recognizable as it was covered in clothes and other paraphernalia. As he looked at the window he realized it must already be late in the afternoon and he couldn't believe he had actually slept that long.

His eyes finally fell on her. Felicity. He had not planned to go to her last night. In fact he had only come to see her one more time before leaving Starling City for good. She was never supposed to have seen him, hidden in the shadows he had wanted t say a lonely goodbyes. He knew it was cowardly but there was only so much he could handle. Thea had given him a piece of her mind yesterday, told him he couldn't be trusted and she couldn't really care less if she ever saw him again. It was just another one of his failures in a list that seemed to get longer every day.

He couldn't face Laurel nor Diggle, having failed them both. In fact he couldn't even face Felicity, he had failed her too. He had failed his family, his friends and his city. He no longer belonged here. He had to go.

The peacefulness had dissipated and in its wake was only the despair and guilt he had carried for days now, longer if he really thought about it. He realized he had never taken his eyes off Felicity and his heart clenched at her being so flawless next to his broken body and soul. He would only taint her with his darkness. He had to go.

He carefully untangled himself from her body and sat up. He looked towards the floor where his clothes should be, but they weren't there. A frown marred his face as he looked for them. He stood and moved into the bathroom, not there either. The living room was also devoid of any of his clothing.

'Looking for something?'

_Sorry, cliff hanger! Next chapter is finished but needs some tweaking, will post within a few days. _


	3. Chapter 3

_AN: WOW! Chapter 3! Hope it lives up to your expectations. Let me know what you think. _

'Looking for something?'

Felicity rose one of her eyebrows in a challenging way, daring him to lie or to make up some excuse. While Oliver had been asleep she'd had a lot of time to think. She knew Oliver was lost, that he couldn't see past his guilt and pain to see that none of it was his fault. He couldn't see beyond the wrongs to see all that he had done right. The lives he had helped to save. She hoped that somehow her presence would get through to him, that he could see that she still believed in him, in their mission, in the good she knew he possessed. However that was unlikely to happen, she would have to keep him with her somehow until he believed her, or at least gave her a chance to make him see it. So she reasoned he couldn't leave if he had no clothes, so she hid them. It was a desperate move, but perhaps enough to make him stay long enough to talk some sense into him. Seeing as it would at least slow him down, she also took the keys to his motorcycle. He'd hate her for that, but hey, desperate times…

She had woken up that morning to the best sensations. A breath on her neck, a warm arm around her and calloused fingers tracing patterns on her hip and stomach. The feeling between them was that of peacefulness and full of promise, but as she became more aware of her surroundings she had felt the change in him. His wandering hands had stilled and had grabbed her hard as if he was holding on to a buoy in a storm, his breath quickened and she could almost physically feel his pain. His body tensed further and she could feel him slipping away and she was glad for her insight the night before. This man, her man, her hero was ready to bolt.

She could hear him searching her house for his attire and realized she'd better face the man head on. It was now or never. This moment would make or break them and she felt the adrenaline in her body. She swiftly moved out of the bed and moved towards the doorway. It was a testament to his despair and sudden will to leave that he hadn't even heard her coming.

The caged look in his eyes as he met hers quickly changed to anger as he realized she was responsible for his lack of clothing.

'Felicity.'

The warning in his voice was clear and Felicity almost shivered at the primal tone he took with her. He reminded her of a caged tiger, walking it's cage in frustration, glaring at anything that moved, it's body poised to attack anything within range. She felt like prey.

'No Oliver. You are not leaving.'

Her tone was as ice and left no room for discussion. Felicity could see the anger build in him knowing all the emotions he had to supress in years long past coming to the surface. The struggle to keep them contained was etched on his face, clear for the world to see.

'I'm not staying Felicity.'

'Yes you are! You know what's it's like for people to leave. You've been abandoned pretty much your whole life! Your father, mother, your so called friends, McKenna, Laurel even Tommy.'

She saw the pain and hurt in his face but she knew she had to finish, make him see her point.

'You push people away. You hurt them before they can hurt you. You think that by running no one will leave you, that it won't hurt as much as being the one to be left behind. It doesn't work that way Oliver, the pain will still be there, the guilt will still eat away at you. Trust me I know! You change cities, but everywhere around you you're reminded of that place you're running from, so you keep on running. You've been running from your past, that blasted island, your friends, family and yourself. You can't keep running Oliver. I won't let you. I'm here to stay, I will not leave you and I will not let you leave me!'

Oliver was stunned into silence as he processed her words. Everything seemed to stand still and Felicity was barely able to breathe. If he walked out now, if she couldn't get through to him, he would be lost to her forever. The pain of that thought hit her in the chest as if he had fired one of his arrows straight at her. The thought of never seeing him again hurt her more than anything.

Oliver hadn't moved but she could see the thoughts swirling in his head. A single tear fell off her cheek and it was what broke him.

'Tell me what to do. Felicity, please, I don't know what to do.'

She was in his arms in a second and he clung to her as he had clung to the life raft that delivered him to the island. The relief that overtook her body was physically exhausting but she was happy. The fact that she could get through to him so easily despite everything gave her hope that maybe he wasn't as lost as he seemed. She could fix this, she could help him.

'Stay. Stay with me.'

_Not so good with the whole drama scene, now that we have a break through let us get on with fixing our favourite archer's life éh? _


	4. Chapter 4

_AN: Thank you all for your reviews, love to wake up to happy thoughts about my stories! So here's chapter four, concluding their little sleepover. But not to worry this fic is long from over ;) Enjoy! _

Oliver felt drained. The life had been sucked out of him and he felt utterly spent. He and Felicity were sitting side by side on the couch, she was holding his hand and they had been talking quietly for the last hour. He had given her a play by play of the last few days and he talked as he had never talked before. He spared no detail and laid all his emotions on the proverbial table for her to see and analyse.

It was a relief, but he was also worried. Worried what she may think of him. Terrified that she would realize just what a mess he really was, that he was beyond saving. But he needn't have worried. Felicity only revelled in his honesty and listened intently, never pushing, never judging. It gave him the courage to keep going until he felt as if he could sleep for a year.

'I just don't know if I can do it anymore. It's too much, I thought the Hood would make things better. Give the mission a face to do the work without having to give up on Oliver Queen the socialite. How could I have been so wrong? I have only made things worse.'

Felicity frowned.

'That's not true. If not for the Hood we wouldn't even have known about the devices in the first place. The glades, and most of the city would have been levelled. You gave people a chance Oliver. In the last few months you've given them someone to believe in.'

Oliver wouldn't look at her and she knew he didn't believe a word of what she was saying.

'I know you don't like to talk about it, and tell me to shove off anytime you want. But I would think that living on an island for 5 years, practically alone would be a lot more difficult than this. Here you have people who support you.'

Oliver was quiet for a long time and she figured she had crossed the line in her question. But then she saw and heard him take a deep breath, bracing himself. He still wouldn't look at her but he did start talking.

'The island was easy compared to here. It was a matter of survival, black and white, kill or be killed. I never thought about the consequences of my actions in the long term because it didn't matter. As long as I would survive another day, I'd come closer to escaping. It was a collection of coincidences, nothing planned too far ahead. Instinct. Here everything is in shades of grey. People are not who they say they are, they have secret agenda's and never actually say what they mean. I'm not used to living that way anymore and it's making my head spin. Every decision has so many consequences, everything is connected and complicated. Most of all, I don't know who to trust.'

Felicity was stunned into silence. It was the most he had said all day and it made a lot of things clearer for her. She knew he had to make hard decisions, he often decided over life and death. But only now did she understand just what he went through on each of those occasions. She was seeing things from his perspective and she realized he felt betrayed. His own mother was against him, Laurel couldn't make up her mind between two best friends, making their loyalty to each other questionable. Even Thea had now turned her back on him. He was alone.

The silence stretched and Felicity knew exactly how to help him. She would prove to him she could be trusted. He could place his trust in her.

'Oliver.'

She said his name softly, almost like a caress and he felt it deep in his bones. Still he could not look at her. His fear of rejection, of being rejected by her scared him to the depths of his soul.

'Oliver, please. Look at me.'

It took everything he had to look at her. He felt emotionally raw and he wondered how much more he could take. As his blue eyes met hers he braced himself for what he was sure was to come.

'Oliver, you can trust in me.'

His eyes had shifted away from her as she had said his name, but now snapped back.

Felicity felt uncomfortable under his gaze but she knew she couldn't hold anything back now. He had to believe her, he had to see she would never betray him, never leave him. And though she was sure it would freak him out, she even let the love she had for him, for all of him, shine through. Because then, and only then would he realize she was speaking the truth.

'Trust in me, as I trust in you.'

Oliver could see the truth in her eyes, the pleading tone of her words as she begged him to believe, to see the good inside himself. He closed his eyes and thought of everything he had done since came back. The people he had helped, who were they? He couldn't name them but he knew deep down he had helped at least a few. He remembered the faces of those he threatened, or put the fear of god in, how many did he actually kill? How many had he let live because of Diggle, or Felicity? The night of the earthquake, he had told Laurel to get out, he had told Tommy the same. Was he responsible for their choices? The logical answer would be no. His mother, did he force her to side with Malcolm? No, he wasn't even aware of it until it was too late.

Bit by bit Oliver realized that maybe he had been too hard on himself. Maybe Felicity wasn't completely wrong when she said it wasn't his fault. Yes, he had done some terrible things, both on and off island. But he wasn't that man anymore, the one who blindly judged and juried those who opposed his beliefs. She had made him better, Diggle too. They had given his mission a guideline, a set of morals to uphold and he had kept them. Maybe he could have done more, but perhaps she was right when she said it is all water under the bridge now.

He may have failed the city, and those around him, but maybe it could be fixed. Maybe he could be fixed. She would help him, wouldn't she?

He opened his eyes and she saw right through to his soul. She almost cried when she saw his acceptance of her words.

'Will you help me?'

Felicity had no doubts about her answer.

'Always.'

_Going to be skipping some time next chapter. Oliver and Felicity set out to fix things. Some Diggle and Thea in the next chapters. Leaving the Laurel drama for last ;) _


	5. Chapter 5

_AN: Thank you again for all your amazing feedback! Trying to make the chapters a bit longer. (Still have a job and studies as well so be patient please) I hope you like this chapter. No Felicity but some Oliver and Thea bonding. Enjoy!_

As Oliver walked into the mansion he couldn't help but feel slightly nervous. He knew Thea wouldn't be there for another half an hour or so and he hated the idea of being alone in the huge mansion. When he had come back from the island he felt as if the house was no longer a home. At first he had accredited it to the fact that he and his father had been missing for the last 5 years and that had of course had an impact. But he had found it had more to do with the severed ties between him and his mother and even his sister. The secrets he kept and couldn't or wouldn't share. It left the house cold and empty, now even more so, with the only occupants never really being there.

He walked over to the enormous patio at the back of the house. Looking over the pool and the garden beyond it, he tried to remember the last time he was really happy in this place. He was shocked to find it was a lot longer ago than he'd imagined.

He could remember the barbeque season they'd had. His whole family had been together, parents, sibling, friends and other relatives. He'd been fourteen and well on his way to becoming an obnoxious teenager. He was careless, he had nothing on his mind but the fun he was having with Tommy and Laurel and a whole bunch of other friends. They would jump in the pool, chase each other with water guns, eat, drink and generally have a good time.

A week after that his father's brother had been shot in the glades. For his father it was a big blow and who had been better to understand than Malcolm Merlin, the man who lost his wife the same way. As Oliver now knew, that must have been the start of the undertaking. Malcolm would come over to his house more often, and though he'd been ecstatic to spend more time with his best friend, the house felt colder somehow. He'd been too young to understand that his life would never be the same. The secrets his parents kept, though back then he had no clue, had an impact on him and Thea as well.

Many of his memories of the mansion were now tainted by his knowledge of his parents' betrayal. He felt suffocated here and he wondered if Thea felt the same.

As if he conjured her, the front door slammed and subsequently his name was yelled in an attempt to locate him. He turned from the window and yelled back where he was.

The night after he and Felicity talked he knew he would have to reach out to Thea. She of course was still very upset and wouldn't take his phone calls. Only after a very emotional voicemail message and a bunch of pleading messages she finally returned his call a week later. Today they were meeting to hopefully start to heal their broken bond.

As his sister entered the room he was struck by her appearance. Her clothes were mismatched, her eyes red rimmed and she seemed so much smaller than she actually was. His heart broke for her and for a moment he didn't care about what he'd been through, he just wanted to protect his little sister.

'Oliver, I am so sorry. I should never have told you to leave but I was hurt and you never talk to me and Roy and I broke up and I just lashed out. I'm really sorry.'

Oliver managed a small smile before he walked over and hugged his little sister.

'It's okay Speedy, you were right. I haven't been the brother you deserve and I'm hoping to do better.'

Thea pushed his chest and looked up to him.

'Who are you? And what have you done with my brooding brother?'

Oliver couldn't help but laugh and felt a bit lighter for the first time in days.

'Let's just say your ass of a brother has had his eyes opened and realized he might have been a bit unfair to some people lately.'

Thea didn't know what to think. It seemed as if Oliver had gone through a transformation since she had seen him last week and basically told him to leave and never come back. He seemed lighter somehow, less haunted. She knew the island had changed him in ways he would never share, but she could see it. Now she could detect small pieces of the old Oliver in him. The sparkle in his eyes was back and whoever it was that talked some sense into him, she would be forever grateful.

'Speedy, I know I have a lot to make up for, and it's not going to happen overnight. But I hope you can forgive me for being a class A jerk lately.'

He paused and she could see the hurt in his eyes, the trepidation and doubt about what else to say.

'You want to know about my time on the island. You told me once I needed to open up to someone and I have, or at least I'm trying to, but I also want to tell you. There's a lot I have to tell you and I don't know if you'll ever look at me the same again. In fact I think you'll hate me. I've lied to you, more times than I would have ever wanted.'

He had been looking at his hands during his monologue, as he often did when he was nervous. But now he looked into her eyes and she knew that if she didn't let him finish he never would. So she gave him an encouraging smile and nodded for him to continue even though she was frightened of what things he would be telling her.

'There have been a lot of secrets in this family for a long time now and I'm sure now that it is no longer the best course of action to keep things hidden from you anymore. What I'm about to tell you, it's going to put you in danger, it's going to change everything and if you don't want to hear it, now is the time to tell me.'

Thea was a little nervous at the serious tone he had taken with her. He seemed almost ashamed of something, was it because he was lying to her?

'Oliver, I know it's hard but I need to know. Not knowing what's going on is killing me. You're all I have left. I promise I'll listen to it all okay. I'll try to understand.'

Seeing the blatant honesty in her eyes he knew he could trust her, he had to. She was the only family he had left.

'Remember that time you walked in on me, saw my scars?'

She nodded not knowing where he was going with it.

'I wasn't alone on the island. Most people assumed I was, and I let them think so because it was easier than telling and remembering the truth, to explain just what I went through. I didn't want nor needed their pity so I never told. I wasn't alone, and the people with me on the island… Let's just say they didn't like me very much. I was tortured but it all started with Yao Fei…'

Once Oliver began talking it was like he went into a trance. Thea could see him go back there in his mind and she felt bad for making him relive it. He stayed stoic, his body tensed but she could see the emotion in his eyes and she suddenly wondered just who her brother really was.

When he'd come back she wasn't sure what to expect. He looked a bit different but he was still Ollie, her brother. His actions appeared to be similar to those before the island. He partied, he drank then he partied some more. But as she listened to the hardships he had endured on the island she realized it was all an act. Oliver had other things on his mind then partying, he was used to having to survive.

'… I learned archery. I practiced for days, months and I realized it was something I could do. Something to ensure my survival on that godforsaken place so I could make my way home.'

'Wait. Archery? Oliver… Are you… You're the Hood aren't you?'

Oliver didn't need to say a thing she could see it clear as day on his face. His small nod gave the confirmation though. Her brother was the vigilante. The man who had killed. The man who had saved Roy.

'You saved Roy.'

She could see the surprise in his eyes at her statement. She realized he'd expected her to freak out.

'He needed saving.'

It was such a simple answer but she could see it was how he saw it. He didn't see the danger, the heroics behind his actions, for him it was just another matter of survival, kill or be killed.

'I have a question.'

Oliver hadn't continued his story of the island, knowing that for Thea his time as the Hood was now more important and he felt relieved. He still had to tell her about the list and the undertaking that was already hard enough.

'Of course you do, ask away.'

'The people the Hood or I mean you target. How do you know who to arrow up?'

'I knew you were smart Speedy and arrow up?'

'You know what I mean and don't change the subject!'

Oliver hesitated for a slight second but realized he couldn't stop now. This was going to be very painful for both him and Thea but he owed her the truth. He told her about making it to the raft with his father, his suicide and the subsequent finding of the notebook. The last words his father had told him and how it had become his mission. The mission and the undertaking, he told her everything. From the devices and their failure to shut them down, to the point where Tommy died in his arms.

Thea couldn't stop the tears from falling down her cheeks. They were both quiet for a long time, neither knowing what to say. Suddenly Thea moved towards him and engulfed him in a loving hug.

'Dad shouldn't have done that. It wasn't fair to you to put that on your shoulders. I'm so sorry Oliver, about everything.'

Oliver's throat felt sore from all the talking and now closed up with emotion at his sister's words. Felicity had told him something similar a few days ago but it felt different hearing it from Thea. He held on to his little sister drawing as much comfort from her as she was from him.

'There's a lot more I have to tell you but it can wait for now. I haven't felt this emotional since, well last week I guess.'

He scoffed at the emotional mess he was. He knew some day he would break underneath the pressure, but he had always hoped he'd get killed long before it happened.

Thea laughed at his puzzled and slightly annoyed expression. It was the one thing the old Oliver had in common with the new one, no chick flick moments. When her stomach rumbled loud enough to wake the dead, even Oliver joined in her laughter and together they set out towards the kitchen to find something to eat. They ate in relative silence until Thea remembered she had one more question that really couldn't wait.

'Hey Oliver?'

He had just taken an enormous bite off his sandwich and he gestured for her to continue as he munched on it.

'You said that something made you realize that you weren't exactly being fair on me. What as it?'

A coughing sound attracted her attention as she saw her brother getting beet red for a second, she was sure it wasn't from choking on his sandwich.

'Or maybe it's not something but someone?'

The slight panic on his face made her realize she hit the nail on the head.

'So who is she and don't tell me it's Laurel!'

Oliver's face went dark for a second at the mention of Laurel but it disappeared quickly and was replaced with a sort of tender look.

'I have no idea what you're talking about.'

Thea snorted.

'Right… So the 'I have it so bad I wish I could shoot hearts out of my ass' look you're sporting right now is completely random?'

Oliver glared at her. His sister was like a dog with a bone. Nothing he said would satisfy her anyway so he decided to change the subject.

'I have a question for you. As I will be taking over the company for the foreseeable future I want to throw a charity ball to raise money for the glades and the immediate relief programme. On that night I will also be revealing a rebuilding project for about 30,000 new residencies, schools and shopping areas in the glades. I want you to organize it.'

Thea was about to protest to his changing of the subject when the full extent of what he was asking her hit her.

'Wait, you want me to organize some huge fundraiser for the high class society of starling city so you can talk them into financing your project?'

Oliver's eyes shone with amusement at his sister's disbelieving tone.

'Yes. Mom may have helped destroy the glades but we're not her. What better way to make amends and show people not all us Queens are the devil incarnate. I may be taking over as CEO but I want you to be involved Thea. The company is the only legacy we have that isn't tainted; I'm making it my mission to keep it standing. With mom's involvement in the destruction of the glades, Queen Consolidated hasn't been doing well.'

Thea understood what he was saying and she agreed. She was still nervous though.

'Speedy, you've organised countless parties and get togethers and you've attended even more. You'll know what to do. I'm giving you pretty much a free reign on all its aspects. Just keep me in the loop, that's all.'

Thea didn't need to think for long. She agreed that the glades needed help, and she wanted to do whatever was necessary. But a little quid pro quo never hurt anyone.

'Okay, I'll do it on one condition.'

'What's that?'

'I want to meet your mystery lady.'

Oliver should have known she would never let it go.

'Deal.'

_Yay! So Oliver wants to rebuild the glades, will he succeed? So Diggle/Oliver bromance next chapter? (I will include some Olicity in the next chapter don't you worry) And what about darling Roy? (God I love that kid in the show, he's so adorable!(I know he's actually older than I am but who cares?) _

_**Please review, it really makes my day!**_


	6. Chapter 6

_AN: TucTuc biscuits, check. Malibu & Coke, check. Heat wave, check. amazing music, check. Inspiration & mojo, double check. I'm on a roll guys! Thank you for all the follows & reviews. Now on with the story. _

Verdant was a cacophony of noise and smells as about fifty workers made sure it was ready for reopening the following weekend. Oliver stood in the middle of the dance floor watching, observing and thinking. He almost expected Tommy to come out from behind the bar with that stupid yellow protective hat he actually didn't need. Tommy had told him it made him feel important, like he mattered and Oliver had never commented on it again. He had always half expected Tommy to keep wearing it long after the construction of Verdant was finished. He knew for sure he had stashed it somewhere. Oliver was glad he could finally think of Tommy without immediately flashing back to that moment at CNRI.

He was interrupted from his thoughts of Tommy when his phone rang. Seeing Felicity's name on the screen immediately pulled him from his melancholy mood and he answered the phone with genuine enthusiasm.

'Felicity!'

'Hey Ollie.'

God, he loved it when she called him that, it sent shivers down his spine.

'Diggle is being released today. I told him we'd meet him at the Belly Burger at noon. I mean I told him I'd ask you, well actually I kind of promised him I'd make you go. But I know I can't really make you do anything but I figured since you've only gone to see him once in the hospital, not that I blame you, you've got lots to do and all, I just figured you'd want to see him and I told him that I'd meet him there, with you.'

Oliver let an amused grin take over his face. He had missed his rambling IT genius. The night he spent at her place he had been in too dark a place to notice, but later he realized his girl hadn't rambled a single time the whole night and day he spent with her. But since she pulled him from the depths of his own mind she seemed to be nervous around him again. It gave him a sense of belonging, of things returning to how they were. It gave him something to look forward to.

'Oliver?'

Oliver realized he had spaced out and wondered if he should just answer the question he was sure was hidden somewhere in her rambling or tease her a bit. Not wanting to hang up yet he went for the teasing option.

'I'm sorry, was there a question or an order in there somewhere? I honestly couldn't tell the difference.'

He could almost feel her glare through the phone.

'See, it was a question but since you're not objecting I might as well make it an order. You stupid vigilantes with your hero complexes have serious issues with being told what to do, so why not push your buttons a bit?! Wait, damn! I said that last part out loud didn't I? OLIVER! I thought you would stop me from my incessant ramblings and save me from myself! Seriously, what kind of hero are you?!'

Oliver couldn't help it, he laughed. A big belly laugh which scared the nearest couple of construction workers, since they didn't know him any other way than a big brooding boss man. He could hear Felicity's annoyed huff on the other end of the line, but he also knew she was happy to hear him laugh. Even he had to admit it felt good.

'Felicity breathe! I'll be there. I'm at the club right now overseeing some of the renovations but I'll be done long before then. Need me to pick you up anywhere?'

After they had arranged to meet at her apartment at half past eleven Oliver hung up and moved towards the lair. As he punched in the new code and moved down the stairs he could almost hear Tommy's voice in his head; 'Can't believe you still think this place is a safe place to harbour this stuff.'

He looked at the computer, now silent and slightly dusty. Felicity had cleaned up the worst but he saw the evidence of the event of 2 weeks ago. He couldn't even give it a name in his head, just the event. He shook at his head his own weakness. He needed to get his head in the game. The Hood would need to return soon, but every time he looked at the suit his body started tingling, and not in a good way. Felicity told him it would take time, but he was impatient. He just wished he could deal with it all in one go. He was glad Felicity could ground him as she did or he would have gone crazy a long time ago. He wasn't going to think too much about just how important Felicity had become to him in the last few weeks and just how much she factored in his decisions these days. He was sure that the reasons wouldn't be conducive to his frail emotional state of late and would only complicate things. So ignored the flutters he felt as he thought about seeing her that afternoon, or how he could almost imagine her there behind the computer biting her lip as she stared at the screens. He shook his head to rid himself of the unwelcome (or were they?) thoughts.

He took a long look around the lair as he thought about the Hood's future. Thea knew about him. He hadn't thought to tell her, but once he saw her he knew he could no longer hide. Thea had been through enough and he realized she would eventually find out anyway. He actually felt a little relieved, he could now watch her as Oliver and his skills wouldn't seem weird or strange to her. He would no longer need to lie to her about his whereabouts. There was just one more problem in relation to Thea that needed to be solved. He quickly grabbed his helmet and left Verdant on his way into the glades.

He'd never been to Roy Harper's house but it wasn't what he had expected. The house looked relatively well looked after in comparison to most of the houses around it and seemed relatively unscathed by the earthquake. He quickly made his way to the front door and knocked before he changed his mind.

It took a minute but he heard the locks retract as Roy opened the door. He could clearly see the shock on the boy's face at his appearance on his doorstep; Oliver was surprised and impressed when he quickly schooled it behind an expression of indifference. The staring contest that ensued lasted at least 5 minutes before Oliver got fed up and asked to be let in.

Roy still didn't say a thing and Oliver hated to admit it made him a little uncomfortable.

'So are you here to hit me for hurting Thea? Because I hate to tell you, but she broke up with me.'

Oliver was surprised to hear that, it wasn't something Thea had shone any light on. It didn't matter though, the few times he had spoken his sister he could tell she still cared deeply for the young man in front of him.

'That's not why I'm here. I don't really know what went down between the two of you and honestly the less I know the better, there are just some things I really do not want to know about my sister.'

Roy let out a smirk at that and Oliver nearly revised his opinions on whether or not to punch the little punk, but he pushed those feelings down.

'The thing is my sister likes you. Now normally I would do anything to make sure my sister stay that cute little 12 year old girl with pigtails and not a care in the world and keep any boy or man at least a mile or ten away from her. But even I have to face the fact that Thea is no longer a kid and she's been through more than most women her age.'

He could see the curious glance Roy threw his way. It sure wasn't what he was expecting.

'The fact of the matter is you make her happy. You make her happier than she's been in a long time and somehow, don't ask me how, you give her focus. You make her want to do better and I respect and encourage that. So despite my better judgement as a protective big brother I want to invite you to a benefit she's organising and maybe talk you into give her a second chance?'

When Roy woke up that morning, Oliver Queen standing on his doorstep was the last thing he expected. The fact that said man was now, on behalf of his sister, asking him to give Thea another chance blew him away. He was gobsmacked and had no idea what to say. Still one question found its way to the surface.

'Does she know you're here?'

Oliver shook his head.

'No, I'd like it to stay that way, she'd kill me if she knew.'

Roy almost laughed at the genuine fear he saw in Oliver's eyes as he thought about Thea's wrath.

'I like you Roy, you make her smile. I've been a bad brother to her and you were there to pick up the pieces and I apologize for that. Thea is an amazing person and honestly, if you let her go, you're an idiot.'

Once more Oliver stunned Roy into silence.

'Here's the invitation, it's your choice.'

With that Oliver stood up and clapped the young man on his back as he moved towards the door and left. He knew he had surprised the kid and most likely scared him into an early grave. He could see the doubt in Roy's eyes. The question of whether Oliver was serious or not. He just hoped Roy would give Thea another chance. If that went well, he would have some more plans for Roy Harper in the future.

Oliver realized that if he didn't hurry he would be late picking Felicity up and he quickly headed back to Verdant to change vehicles.

As he reached her apartment building he could feel a flutter of excitement, though, once again he was not inclined to explain to himself why. As she walked out of the building with a big smile on her face he couldn't deny the flutters dissolved into giant fireworks. She entered his car and before he could stop himself he leaned over and kissed her cheek. He grinned as he saw her cheeks flush and she looked away from him. No words but the simple hellos were exchanged as they quickly set out to Belly Burgers.

Oliver knew the meeting with Diggle would be a breeze. He and Diggle really had no quarrel with each other, having all their differences squared before the event anyway. But he did owe him an apology. Oliver frowned as he realized he had been apologising a lot lately and he hated the fact that he had a lot to apologize for. Once more a negative spiral seemed to overtake him, but he was startled from his self-incriminations as a soft hand enclosed his and suddenly he felt a lot calmer. He quickly looked her way with a grateful and genuine smile which she promptly returned.

As they entered the restaurant Oliver wasn't ready to let her go yet. Knowing he wasn't exactly being subtle he increased the pressure on her hand and made sure she couldn't just let go. She gave him a questioning look but didn't attempt to break free.

As John Diggle saw his two best friends enter the restaurant he could barely supress his smug smile. As he had been laid up in the hospital he quickly realized, during the one visit Oliver had deemed necessary, that his friend was far from functional. Oliver was coming apart at the seams and unfortunately, due to his injuries, Diggle wasn't there to pull him back from the beckoning precipice. He had hoped Oliver wasn't too far gone to realize that Felicity was there for him too. As he saw them now he was glad they had found each other in this difficult time.

He could see Oliver's look, almost challenging him to say something. Instead he just Oliver a returning look saying; 'Are you kidding me?' and then smiled. Felicity was clueless as to what just happened but smiled as she sat down across from him, Oliver sliding effortlessly in the seat next to her.

Their conversation flowed easily and Oliver felt the feeling of coming home wash over him. He finally felt as if maybe he really could fix things. As Carly also joined them he couldn't help the genuine and bright smile from taking over his face. His mother may have betrayed him and his family seemed to get smaller all the time but as he sat there he realized he now had new family. A slightly dysfunctional one but they were a unit, they had his back and he had theirs.

Everything was just fine and dandy until Oliver looked up as the bell of the door sounded and Laurel walked in. As their eyes met the whole table went quiet and Diggle couldn't help but notice the uncertainty and look of pain that crossed Felicity's face. Because of this he had however missed the look of panic and slight resistant look that had crossed Oliver's.

_AN: MWHUAHHAHA Cliff hanger! Sorry… Need some time to think on what I'm going to with the whole Laurel/Oliver situation. _

_Please review! All my love!_


	7. Chapter 7

_AN: This heat wave is killing me! Anyway enjoy this chapter!_

Oliver couldn't help the wave of panic that overtook his body as his eyes met Laurel. He wasn't prepared for this! He'd spent the last couple of days thinking about his relationship with her and he'd come to a couple of conclusions.

Before the island he'd been immature and quite frankly a big disappointment. He couldn't handle their relationship and he'd hurt her. He could take complete responsibility for that. Being with Sara was one of the biggest mistakes he'd made in his life and sadly enough she'd paid with her life and Laurel with her heart.

On the island she was a beacon of light in the darkness. For five years he'd had one personal goal; get back to Laurel. He'd never thought too hard on the why of it. He'd needed a light at the end of the tunnel and she'd been it. However if he was honest with himself he'd been holding on to an impossible and unreal dream. He'd idolized their relationship and had failed to acknowledge that their relationship was rocky long before he and Sara ended up on that boat together. Laurel then had 5 years to grow her anger and resentment to him and grew closer to his best friend in the process.

When he'd returned from the island he'd been jaded and broken. Not wanting to let on just how he had changed, he had slipped back into the Oliver Queen persona and with it the familiarity he felt with Laurel. He had hoped they could rekindle their romance even though he'd realized it was pointless the second he'd seen her with Tommy the first time. But he'd been selfish. He'd wanted to recapture that person he once was if only for a moment and he saw Laurel as the only way to do so. The truth was that he would never be the old him again. He was a completely different person now, forged in the hell he'd been forced to live in for the last years of his life. Laurel was no longer compatible to any part of his persona, she could never understand him. Not like Felicity. It was that epiphany that prompted him to break things off with her. Only he'd been too cowardly to face her. Now he would have no choice.

He chanced a look at Felicity only to see her eyes already upon him. She looked uncertain and seemed a bit afraid about his reaction to Laurel's sudden appearance. He knew that he'd been giving mixed signals to her lately but that was going to stop now. He gave her smile to put her at ease and squeezed her hand that he hadn't realized he'd been holding the whole time. She seemed slightly more at ease as he slid out the booth to greet Laurel.

'Laurel, I didn't know we had plans.'

Oliver internally cringed at the almost accusing tone of his words. He was slightly annoyed at her showing up like this but it was a dick move to make. Nothing he could do about it now and he tried to disguise his faux pas with a smile.

'We didn't, but it feel like I haven't talked to you in a long time and I wanted to see you.'

'I'm hanging out with some friends; you're welcome to join us.'

Oliver walked back towards the table and waited for Laurel to follow him silently cursing himself for extending the invitation. What was he thinking?! He just needed to get this break up over with, why prolong the inevitable?

'You remember Diggle, my bodyguard? His girlfriend Carly and you know Felicity.'

Laurel greeted them all courteously but Oliver could see, by her slightly put off expression; she had hoped to spend some time alone with him. Her eyes narrowed slightly as she settled her gaze on Felicity. Oliver reclaimed his seat next to Felicity but kept a respectable distance, something that all occupants of the table were aware of, except for Laurel who seemed blissfully unaware of the sudden silence that had descended upon the table.

The group fell into a random conversation topic about the merits of having a dog over cats. It felt a little awkward at first but soon enough they were arguing animatedly.

'Dog! I mean they're cute and cuddly but they don't sit on everything and bring dead things into the house.'

Laurel scrunched her nose at Felicity as she said this, even more so as she saw her boyfriend nod in appreciation of her argument.

'Cats are so much more independent though. They walk themselves and use a litter box instead of having to be walked three to four times a day.'

'Well, what's the fun in that? The whole point of a pet is to spend time taking care of it!'

Oliver rolled his eyes at the useless conversation, but it was funny seeing his girls getting all riled up. He almost forgot his plan to talk to Laurel about breaking things off.

'Ladies, I think we're at an impasse. I think we should just call it even? Agree to disagree.'

Oliver felt good about breaking up the little quarrel between the two, besides that he really needed to talk to Laurel alone. However the relaxed atmosphere had put him a little too much at ease as he leaned over to Felicity and not so subtly whispered in her ear;

'I think you're right though, dogs totally rule.'

Then he winked at her. Her small giggle made him smile, but the smile quickly disappeared as he took in Laurel's heated eyes and thin lined mouth.

'Oliver? Can I talk to you for a minute?'

Here we go. It was the only thing that went through his mind as he saw their relationship crash and burn in front of him. It was no surprise to him of course and crazy enough he couldn't even make himself feel bad about it; it was a long time coming.

He followed Laurel to the back of the restaurant feeling Felicity's eyes on them as they went. As they sat down at the most far left booth Laurel wasted no time to get to the point. Oliver decided to play the dumb boyfriend and see what happened.

'What the hell Oliver?'

'Come again?'

'You're supposed to be my boyfriend and you side with her?'

'Come on Laurel, it was just a harmless discussion and besides I really like dogs more than cats.'

Laurel's eyes widened and he realized he'd said the wrong thing.

'It's like you don't even care. You've spent more time with them than you have with me over the last two weeks, ever since…'

'Ever since what Laurel? Tommy? Afraid to say his name?'

Laurel looked at the table not able to meet his eyes. Oliver was actually starting to get angry. Ever since Tommy's death she'd been clinging to him as a lifeline. He was broken yes, but she refused to acknowledge anything happened to begin with. Having heard Tommy's deathbed confession of his love for Laurel, it made him angry she would dismiss his friend that way. He knew she was hurting, but Tommy deserved more. He realized ever getting back together with Laurel in the first place had been a mistake. Oliver saw his opening and knew that the pain that would be caused by his next words would be inevitable.

'That's what this is really about isn't it, because can you honestly say that I'm your boyfriend? Because I think that I'm just a substitute for Tommy.'

'That's not true!'

'Laurel please, I'm not an idiot.'

Laurel had the decency to look contrite, knowing that she often underestimated his intelligence.

'I think this was a mistake. I love you Laurel, but I'm no longer in love with you. Nor are you with me. Tommy loved you so much, that doesn't just go away seeing as I know how much you loved him.'

She didn't correct him.

'It's over.'

Once more, no comment from Laurel, she couldn't even look at him, knowing that everything he said was true. She stood up whispering an 'I'm sorry' before grabbing her coat and walking out the door.

Oliver felt a huge weight lifting off his chest as she left. He knew their friendship was now probably irreparably damaged but he knew he could no longer keep up the charade. He wasn't in love with Laurel. It just took him falling for another amazing woman to realize it.

He quickly re-joined his friends and ignored their concerned looks. It was Carly that broke the silence that had fallen over the table.

'Laurel is not joining us?'

'Laurel won't be joining us ever again.'

Oliver made sure to look at Felicity as he said it and couldn't help but grin at the blush that overtook her features. Yes, things were looking up for Oliver Queen.

_God this chapter was hard! This entire story wrote itself until now. Is it decent? Let me know. (Review!) Anyway, next chapter Thea meets Felicity! Yay!_


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